Blazers-Suns: 'I am not Brandon Roy,' struggling Rudy Fernandez says of his play

View full sizeFileRudy FernandezTUALATIN -- Rudy Fernandez has spent much of his two seasons in Portland making veiled pleas for more playing time and a bigger role with the Trail Blazers.

Now that he is getting his chance in the NBA playoffs as the starting guard in place of Brandon Roy, Fernandez has yet to show up.

Not only is Fernandez missing shots -- he's 2 for 9 from the field and 1 for 7 from three-point range in the first two games against Phoenix -- he doesn't even appear to be looking for his shot.

His passive approach has rewarded the Suns decision to shift Steve Nash, a poor defender, off of Andre Miller and onto Fernandez. With Fernandez in the game, Nash has received a virtual free pass on defense. Only when Jerryd Bayless has been in the game has Nash had to defend.

Fernandez has been both short and sharp with the media. When a question regarding the playoffs being his chance to show what he can do now that he is replacing Brandon Roy, Fernandez cut off the question.

"I am not Brandon Roy. I am Rudy Fernandez," he said sharply after Wednesday's practice.

What little he does say is confusing.

"I do not need 10 shots or 2 shots. Play free is what I can play, and I think my role is to open the space," he said. "For me, it's not important whether I'm a starter or not a starter. It's the ball. It's shots," Fernandez said.

Fernandez took only two shots in Game 2 -- missing both-- and when told his lack of shots was exactly the point of the questioning, he walked away.

"You took only two shots," Fernandez was told as he walked away. "Why?"

"I don't know," Fernandez said, smirking over his shoulder while throwing his hands in the air. "I don't know."

Coach Nate McMillan said he will remain with Fernandez as his starting shooting guard for tonight's Game 3 at the Rose Garden. Although McMillan was peppered with a variety of questions about how ineffective Fernandez has been, the coach refused to single out the 6-foot-6 shooter.

However, he did say that he would like to see Fernandez shoot more than twice in Game 3, and that the coaching staff has encouraged him to be aggressive.

"When he gets the shot, he has to take it," McMillan said. "Just being aggressive, that's what we are telling him, telling all of our guys. And it wasn't just Rudy last night. We didn't play well as a team."

McMillan said Fernandez and the rest of the Blazers have to do a better job of setting, and using screens. More directly, McMillan said there needs to be more effort.

"It's two areas: setting screens and those guys working harder to get the ball," McMillan said.

Fernandez, who is averaging 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 28 minutes in the first two games, says he believes he is helping the team.

"I open the space for my teammates, and the spacing has been good," Fernandez said. "That's my role -- and to help teammates when I have the ball in my hands. And when I have an opportunity for a shot, shoot.

"I think the first game I was a good defender, good defense against Richardson," Fernandez said. " The last game ... I don't like my play in the second game."